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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27037315">The calm before the storm</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helyanna/pseuds/Helyanna'>Helyanna</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 10:07:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,021</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27037315</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helyanna/pseuds/Helyanna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of Argella Durrandon and Orys Baratheon. The last Storm Queen</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Orys Baratheon/Argella Durrandon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Argella was watching the storm brewing on the cold horizon when Sir Ansel Landgrave arrived to inform her about the bastard<br/>
“Orys Baratheon is setting camp outside our gates” he said.<br/>
Sir Landgrave had served house Durrandon all his life, when her father marched to face the Targaryen forces, he expected  Argilac to name him castellan of Storms End but he didn’t, to Landgrave’s  great disappointment, Argella was responsible for the defense and governance of the castle<br/>
“Storm’s End will hold the siege” She said.<br/>
“We don’t have the men and the supplies for a siege” he replied<br/>
“We have enough”<br/>
“Princess, what if the Targaryen decide to burn the castle to the ground like they did with Harrenhal”<br/>
“Then the amount of men and supplies we have does not matter at all” Argella replied.<br/>
“Princess…”<br/>
“I am not a princess Sir Landgrave. I am a queen, your queen”  She turned her back on him “get some rest Sir there is a storm coming”  She said looking at the ominous clouds in the distance.<br/>
But the storm did not come not the storm she was expecting at least.<br/>
Argella looked from her bedchambers window, when she learned about her father’s defeat, she barred the gates of the castle and declared herself Storms queen there was no coronation ceremony neither a crown she did not have time for such fanfare. She intended to die fighting and she intended to fight to the last man.  She proclaimed that Storm's End would gladly choose fire and blood before surrender. And when  the Targaryen bitch flew her beast in the castle to parley she told her she could win the Castle but she would win only blood bones and Ashes.<br/>
She was thinking about the sight of that beast flying in the distance when  a sudden silence fell , it felt like even the air went still and everything went quiet there was no footsteps, no soldier's rushing about on the yard, no whispers from the guards outside her door.<br/>
You don't hear silence like this on Storm's End especially at a night like this, especially with the enemy outside the gates, it was the kind of silence that comes right before a storm a very different kind of storm.  This eerie silence sent shivers down her spine and her blood felt cold in her veins, dread creeped over her, numbing her brain, she could make only one though.<br/>
Traitors.<br/>
She moved slowly to grab the dagger hidden under her pillows, she did not move, did not even dare to breath, she stood still with the blade on  her hand, waiting to hear something,  but the only thing she could hear was her rapid heartbeats, the squeak of the door brought her heart racing even faster. Five men, five of her father's men, her men, the dagger felt cold on her hand and she held it even tighter.<br/>
“leave the weapon child” sir Ansel Landgrave said<br/>
“why should I do that Sir Ancel?” She asked<br/>
“come peaceful” he said “I don’t wish to harm you”<br/>
“what is it then you wish?”<br/>
“I wish Storm’s End not suffering the same fate as Harrenhal” he said “I wish for my men not to die pointlessly”<br/>
The fear she first felt evaporated and pure rage took its place “coward” she spat<br/>
“your reign is over your grace” one of the other men said and his hand were on her and before she even realized what was happening.<br/>
The cold steel she was holding buried in his stomach right to the hilt, she did not realized what she did only after she felt his blood, warm on her fingers and she saw his stupid eyes widen in surprise. She twisted the blade, all the while sinking it deeper and deeper “you bitch” the soldier said half surprised and half terrified.He was a boy no much older than her, she couldn’t remember his name. As she pulled the blade out of his belly and as he sank to his knees she realizeed his name didn't matter anymore.<br/>
Argella knew she was going to die and she was more than glad to die fighting like her father. She grabbed the sword of the fallen soldier and held it with both hand, looking at her own personal guards Merek and Rowan knights both of them and both of them a disgrace to the title. They stood frozen looking at her with unreadable expressions. In that frozen second she saw their eyes flicker between her and the blade of the sword that was gleaming in the faint moon light that was getting from the windows.<br/>
Merek the taller of the two guards spoke first “Argella please leave the weapon”<br/>
“If I am to die, I shall fight to the last breath.” she said.<br/>
Merek unsheathed his sword but it was Argella who moved first. Merek  got his sword up in time and the two swords clashed with deafening sound that echoed around the champers the shock of impact almost made her let go of the sword but she didn’t.<br/>
“I don’t want to kill you” he said<br/>
“then stop this madness” she replayed.<br/>
Merek raised the sword again but she went underneath it with a sweeping blow that crunched against the back of his leg, he lost his footing and sat down hard on the floor. She knew she hadn’t hit him hard enough to make him fall, maybe Merek was telling the trouth, maybe he dis=dnt want to kill her.<br/>
“Useless boy” Sir Landgrave spat at Merek and he marched at her, she stumbled backward, defending herself clumsily against the blows of Landgraves sword.<br/>
When she raised the sword trying to hit him Sir Ansel swept aside her blade and slammed a fist to her face. Her world went black for a while and the sword slipped from her grasp.<br/>
She felt the blade on her throat before she could see it. She looked into the eyes of the wielder, Sir Landgrave, her fathers most trusted man.<br/>
The blade sat on her skin, soft enough not to draw blood, hard enough to hold her in place. She tipped her chin up into the sharpened edge “do it” she said “do it you coward” She felt the blood tickling her throat as it was running from the small cut.<br/>
“I don't want you dead Princess” he said “we want you alive, we are going to deliver you to the Baratheon as a peace offering”<br/>
The realization made her too angry for words. She grabbed the blade and pushed it to her flesh more blood came running down her throat, “I will die in my castle, not on a prison cell.” She said then she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head and everything went black.<br/>
She woke up naked and chained they had thrown her on the back of a horse like a sack of potatoes, they were leading her to my enemy, chained and naked like a cow on its way to the butcher, only a cow doesn't know where it is going and she did<br/>
“traitors” she yelled “cowards” they didn’t even look at her<br/>
“I should have kept my promise to the Targaryen, I  should have delivered them bones and Ashes myself” She knew she was yelling  empty threats and insults but that did not stop her  “your heads belong on spiked all around Storm's End”<br/>
“Shut up your grace” one of them said<br/>
“you don't talk to me like that you disgusting rat” she yelled<br/>
One soldier approached her, she saw his face, she knew him he was a baseborn soldier “keep your filthy hands way from me” she screamed  he was holding a nasty cloth on his hands “don't touch me” she tried to hit him but her hands were chained to her sides and the movement caused pain only to herself but that didn't stop her from trying when he got closer to tie the cloth around her face she manage to head bang him<br/>
“you bitch” he said rubbing his forehead.<br/>
ah gone were the “your grace” and “Princess” she laughed and her own laugh to her ears sounded crazy “cowards” she spat “all of you”<br/>
when someone else came to tie the dirty cloth she bit him and she didn’t stop until she felt the metallic taste of blood when she eventually let him go he slapped her hard across the face and then he tied the cloth around her mouth but still that didn’t shut her up, she spat muffled curses and empty threats all the way to the Baratheon camp.<br/>
What made her shut up was her pride. She was a queen, a Durrandon, Argilac’s daughter and she wouldn't scream like she was afraid she stood silent and gathered whatever pride she had left. The Baratheon men were looking at her and she was returning the looks, she heard insults and whistling and threats and dirty comments and she ignored them all.<br/>
She couldn't stop what was coming more than she could call the thunders to stop or the clouds to clear the sky some Storm's Queen I am she thought all she could do was wait, wait to be executed or worse wait to become nothing more than blood bone and ashes but she would not die screaming and pleading she would die with her head held up high.<br/>
That was what she did when her own men dropped her to the bastards feet chained, gagged and naked.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Orys gazed down at the girl at his feet, naked, chained and gagged. Her arms were covered in blood and her long black hair, falling loose around he face, were disheveled. Her eyes were what took him completely off guard, she stared forward with feral gleam in her eyes. <br/>“What is this?” he asked <br/>“A peace offering my lord” one of the men replied “Argilac’s daughter” <br/>A slow sneering smile crept across the soldier’s lips, the girl glared at the man through dark blue eyes smoldering with hatred and his grin faded.<br/>“Unchain her” he ordered the men looked at him confused “now” he barked </p><p>When the men unchained her Orys knelt before her she returned his gaze sullenly with a snarl on her lips. His eyes flickered to her naked flesh and she wrapped her arms before her to hide her nakedness, not scared or ashamed but defiant. There were so many things to admire about Argilac’s daughter but the way she met his eyes was the one Orys found himself respecting the most, she was bruised, battered, defeated but still she didn’t cry or mouthed pleas. <br/>Orys unfastened his cloak and covered her with it, there was stunned bewilderment in her expression but it was hidden so quickly that Orys couldn’t help but think if he had imagine it. Her eyes regained their previous hostility as he hurriedly wrapped herself with his cloak. <br/>When King Argilac Durrandon offered Aegon his daughter in marriage Aegon he requested instead, wedding Orys to Argilac's daughter. The Storm King arrogant as he was, angrily rejected the offer, “These are the only hands your bastard shall have of me”. Her father had wrote on that note that came along with the hands of Aegon’s envoy. <br/>Argilac the Arrogant believed that such a match would dishonor his daughter. Now Orys had her chained at his feet. He looked at the girl, even at this state she somehow looked regal. Orys couldn’t help wondering how she would look clean and dressed in her usual clothes.<br/>If only Argilac wasn’t so arrogant he thought, but the daughter seemed to be every bit as arrogant as the father. <br/>“I want a word with the princess alone” he said, the men looked at each other not knowing what to do “leave” he ordered and the soldiers left his tent in a hurry. <br/>Orys reached down and offered his hand to the girl her eyes flashed their loathing as she stood up without his assistance.<br/>She was naked except from his cloak to cover her but she carried herself with the same grace as she would if she was wearing the finest gown. He pulled a chair for her and she sat gracefully.<br/>He watch her closely <br/>“would you like some wine?” he asked. She was staring in the distance with murder on her eyes “princes?” he called her, she turned her head slowly to look at him.  <br/>“would you like some wine?” he asked again. <br/>She looked at him for a moment narrowing her eyes and then she nodded yes. He purred wine in a goblet and left it on the table in front of her. Argella didn’t move she just sat on the chair looking at the goblet with a distant but feral look on her face. She was holding the cloak tight around her shoulders and Orys noticed the blood that was covering he hands all the way to her elbows <br/>“you are bleeding” he said. <br/>Orys observed her as she looked at her hand absentmindedly “it is not my blood” she slowly said  and as she spoke for the first time he was taken aback by her voice she  sounded tired, not scared, not sad not even angry. <br/>Argella started rubbing at the blood on her hands. He walked to the corner of his canopy grabbed a wet cloth, and gave it to her.<br/>Argella started cleaning her hands with slow deliberate moves and although she was trying to hide it, Orys saw that her hands were trembling.<br/>“I am sorry those men treated you that way” he said but he didn’t get a respond, her expression   remained distant, as she was cleaning the blood from her hands, he had a feeling that she was planning a murder on her head. <br/>“Are you hurt” he asked “do you want me to call a maester?” <br/>Her eyes met his and Orys saw for the first time the full force of hatred in her eyes. <br/>“There is no need to bother your maester” she said with  fake politeness.  <br/>Orys held back a smile. Every bit as arrogant and every bit as brave. <br/>“Your father was a very brave man” he said. Argella didn’t respond. Orys remained silent for a while watching her trying to clean the blood with the cloth. She wasn’t doing a good job she was just smearing the blood but she didn’t seem to care.<br/>“Aegon is going to reward me with Storm's End, and the rule of the Stormlands” For a split second she flinched, and then it had been so quickly hidden that if he hadn't been deliberately watching her he wouldn't have seen it at all.<br/>“Stormlands aren’t his to give away” she responded her voice trembled, then firmed as if she wouldn't allow that weakness in herself.<br/>“Look around you my Lady” Orys said with compassion<br/>“I’m not a Lady. I’m…”<br/>“You are right” Orys cut her off “you are not a Lady, and you are not a princess anymore” he said more angry than he was planning to, he took a deep breath “You are a prisoner” he said softly “Your men betrayed you” <br/>Argella didn’t respond he looked at her eyes that never blinked, and she fixed him in a stare that could have frozen even dragon fire <br/>“I will be named Lord Paramount of the Stormlands.” He said. Argella sat in silence for a long time, Ory’s statement hovering in the air between them. <br/>She stared at the distance “Why are you telling me those things?” she finally said, her gaze still far away.<br/> “I am only trying to make you understand the situation” he said.<br/> Argella’s chin trembled, and she sternly controlled it, she grabbed the goblet and drank a big gulp of wine. <br/>“Your head will be on a spike if you are fortunate or you will be sent at King’s Landing to live on a cell.  And your people will suffer the consequences of your defiance.” <br/>Orys watched her take the words about her own fate with stone cold calmness but something changed in her eyes as he mentioned her people. He felt some more respect for her at that moment she cared about her people, he thought, she would be a good queen if things were different. <br/> “I have a proposal for you” Orys said carefully. Argella didn’t respond “the same offer Aegon made to your father” he continued Argella’s eyebrows raised “If you agree to marry me you will live in your castle though as a Lady not a princess, but still you will be in your home” <br/>“And to honor your father's valor, I will keep the sigil and words of House Durrandon as my own.” He added.  Argella smiled, Orys was taken aback, he didn’t expect that kind of reaction from her.<br/>“We must thank the gods then my Lord”  her voice was so sweet it felt like someone else was talking instead of her  “It is so fortunate that you don’t have sigil or words of your own to discard in order to take my father’s  as your own” the smile disappeared from her lips and a sneer took its place. <br/>“I am not stupid my Lord” she spat “you don’t want to honor my father’s bravery you want to usurp his legacy, steal his house and sigil” all the fake sweetness disappeared, her voice was cold. For the first time she let her true emotions show at her face and that emotion was revulsion.<br/>If she was hysterical he would know how to react but she wasn’t she was calm and collected. It caught him off guard. He didn’t expect her to accept that offer but he was prepared for insults and yelling and normal reaction. He almost smiled she was as arrogant and as brave as her father but she was also clever too clever for her own good, her father would roar and make everyone aware of his anger but she hide her anger behind that calm façade. She will make a great wife he thought.</p>
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